


Names

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Talon!Damian AU [9]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-06-29
Packaged: 2018-04-06 20:30:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4235580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But that…that wasn’t his name. His foot scuffed the tar pad in his inattention, and he stumbled. His name wasn’t Damian. His name was…his name was…</p>
<p>What <i>was</i> his name?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Names

**Author's Note:**

> Before Damian was rescued, obviously. Damian wasn’t going to tell Owlman “I remember being Robin” he was just going to describe his dream. Try to ask for help in interpreting it a little bit. Damian referred to it as a nightmare because to him, it’s a nightmare that the scenario he ‘dreamed’ about wasn’t real.

It was the same as always. He climbed fire escapes, disappeared into sewers, jumped from roof to roof. And that was the one thing he liked most – because he always felt like he was flying.

Like a real owl.

But this was different.

He was in bright colors. Green boots, red tunic, a bright yellow cape. But why was this different? This was his uniform, it’s what he _always_ wore. The belt full of supplies around his waist was a comfortable weight. A familiar one. Surely that would be a tell, if something truly was…off.

A group flew past him. Most of them in red, the flippiest one seemed to be wearing an interactive outfit, the swash across their chest glimmering between blue and red. He scoffed at them, but it was good-natured. He felt content in their presence. Warm.

That’s when he remembered – they were in the middle of a game. And he was currently losing.

His face broke out into a grin as he chased after them. Their voices swam ahead of him. He couldn’t make it out what they said exactly, it was like he was under water and they were above it, but they laughed. He found himself laughing along with them.

It was a move unpracticed, but somehow knew. Suddenly the blonde woman turned back, reached her hand out. He grabbed it, slingshot-ing his way forward. The flippy one was there waiting for him, hands cupped. He stepped in the hold, bracing himself as he was launched upwards, past the one in red and black, past the one with the red helmet.

“Keep going, Damian!”

He grabbed the fire escape, flicking himself over and landing on the roof. The girl with the black mask and torn cape was just a few yards ahead.

Damian?

But that…that wasn’t his name. His foot scuffed the tar pad in his inattention, and he stumbled. His name wasn’t Damian. His name was…his name was…

“Watch out, kid!”

What _was_ his name?

In his instant distraction, he missed the ledge of the roof, missed the jump. The girl in black was too far ahead to turn back and catch him. All those reds and the blonde were too far behind to race forward.

_“Robin!”_

He fell.

The wind rushed by his face. The dirty Gotham pavement quickly approaching. He closed his eyes, tried to twist. He could do this, he could deal with this. He’d been _trained_. Trained by the best. Trained by…

Another distraction.

Who was he trained by?

Suddenly there was a pop. The whoosh of fabric. An arm holding him, a chest encompassing him, a black cape surrounding him.

“I’ve got you, son.” The rough voice muttered, sounding near grateful. He glanced up, could see that group of masked people all watching from the rooftops, relief clear in their body language. “You’re safe, Robin.”

He relaxed into the embrace. That’s right. His name is-

“Talon.”

He jerked, eyes flying open. Owlman stood over him, framed by the edges of his sleeping box. There was a pulse through his system, and he felt the Electrum working its magic in his injured blood.

“Time to go.” Owlman said as explanation. His eyebrows suddenly furrowed, as he watched the child breath heavily, glancing around at his coffin as if he had never been there before. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing, sir.” He mumbled quietly. “Just, I remember-”

_“Remember?”_ Owlman demanded. “Remember _what?_ ”

Being happy. Being safe. Being with Batman.

Reality crashed down on him instantly.

That was impossible. He’d never been with Batman. Batman was the _enemy_.

“N-nothing, sir.” He repeated. Owlman watched him for a few more seconds before ripping the Electrum cord from his arm, pushing up and away from the box. Damian scrambled from the casket, following quickly after his mentor. “It was just a nightmare.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Other Talon!Damian stories](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/search/talon%21damian)   
> 


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